Debate has begun in Western Australia to create a select committee of the parliament to look into the matter of ‘end-of-life choices’. 

Sound familiar? ‘End-of-life choices’ was the slogan adopted by the Victoria Parliament over a year ago for their inquiry that ultimately recommended an assisted suicide and euthanasia regime.

WA Premier, Mark McGowan is championing the process, telling the Murdoch Press:

"We want everyone to be part of the process of coming up with laws that are acceptable both to the parliament and to the community," he said.

The article’s headline betrays the reality: in the Premier’s mind, this inquiry is about setting the scene for a bill sometime in late 2018.

‘WA premier wants euthanasia bill by 2018’

This in spite of earlier assertions in June by McGowan and Health Minister Roger Hunt that the matter would need to be a private members initiative and not a government bill:

“Health Minister Roger Cook said he supported voluntary euthanasia. He indicated the Government would not introduce legislation but would support individual MPs’ bids to introduce a private member’s Bill.”

The same article belled the cat:

“The West Australian understands if the caucus vote endorses the inquiry, it will be modelled on the one held in 2015 by the Victorian Parliament, which recommended legislation of assisted dying for people suffering from serious and incurable conditions.”

Clearly, the yearlong inquiry is, in the mind of the Premier at least, a vehicle for a bill and not a genuine inquiry.

HOPE will post links to the inquiry and helpful hints for submissions shortly.